The OSHA and AORN Alliance is providing AORN’s members and others, including perioperative healthcare providers, with information, guidance, and access to training resources to protect employees’ health and safety. Through the Alliance, the organizations are addressing preventing exposure to bloodborne diseases, and exposure to smoke plume generated from the use of electrosurgery units (ESU) and lasers.

In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from both groups maintained regular contact throughout the reporting period to monitor the Alliance’s progress and results.

* Dionne Williams was a member of the OSHA and AORN Alliance Implementation Team until August 2008.

Results

Products and Events

Training and Education Goal

Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs for AORN members and others regarding the prevention of percutaneous injuries.

Products

Slide Presentations

Through the Alliance, AORN finalized two slide presentations, “Sharps Safety in the Operating Room: Creating an Injury Prevention Program” and “Use of Blunt-Tip Suture Needles to Decrease Percutaneous Injuries to Surgical Personnel,” that provide information about using blunt-tip suture needles and developing and implementing a Sharps Safety Program. The presentations are posted on the AORN Alliance-related Web page and from the OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page and the Alliance Program Participants Developed Products Web page on the OSHA Web site.

Events

Respiratory Protection and Challenges for Perioperative Personnel

Webinar

Through the OSHA and the AORN Alliance, the organizations worked with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to develop the content for the “Respiratory Protection and Challenges for Perioperative Personnel,” Webinar conducted on November 18, 2009. Audrey Profitt, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health Enforcement, Directorate of Enforcement Programs, USDOL-OSHA discussed OSHA enforcement issues, including fit-testing and availability/non-availability of N95 respirators.

Outreach and Communication Goals

Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA’s and AORN’s Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.

Products

OSHA and AORN Alliance Web Page

OSHA continues to maintain and update the OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site. The page includes links to OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages, the Alliance’s activities and events and the AORN-developed slide presentations. For more information on the number of visits to the OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page, please see the “Alliance Program Reach” Table.

AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web Page

The AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the AORN Web site features information about the OSHA and AORN Alliance, including a link to the OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site. The page also includes a number of links to additional safety and health resources, including the OSHA and AORN news releases, the OSHA Hospital eTool, and a number of OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages. For more information on the number of site visits please see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.

Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners and through OSHA or The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, lectures (or any other applicable forum).

During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed
to meet this Alliance goal.

Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects related to ergonomic injuries, bloodborne diseases and exposure to surgical plume that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

Products

2009 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 3-9, 2009

AORN and more than 57 other Alliance Program participants supported 2009 NAOSH Week. Sponsored annually by the American Society of Safety Engineers, an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. The theme for 2009 NAOSH Week was “Safety Means Always Coming Home.” To help support the week AORN distributed information about 2009 NAOSH Week to its membership and posted a link on the AORN Web site to the NAOSH Week Web site.

Drug-Free Work Week, October 19-25, 2009

AORN and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported the 2009 Drug-Free Work Week, October 19-25, 2009. Sponsored annually by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Program, the Week focused on educating employers, employees and the public about the importance of being drug-free as an essential component of a safe and healthful workplace. AORN added information about the Week and a link to the Week on the AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the AORN Web site and included information about the Week in AORN’s Perioperative News Update, publication.

Executive Summary

Because of the success of the OSHA and AORN Alliance, the organizations renewed the Alliance on April 1, 2009. The Implementation Team worked together to share information on preventing exposure to bloodborne diseases, ergonomic injuries and exposure to smoke plume generated from the use of electrosurgery units (ESU) and lasers.For example:

AORN representatives are sharing their expertise through developing two slide presentations about using blunt-tip suture needles and developing and implementing a Sharps Safety Program

OSHA continues to update the OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and AORN Alliance agreement and information on the Alliance’s activities and events and milestones and successes.

In 2010, OSHA and AORN will continue to focus on health and safety issues that address preventing exposure to bloodborne diseases, exposure to smoke plume generated from the use of electrosurgery units (ESU) and lasers, and laser safety. The OSHA and AORN Alliance Implementation Team members have discussed a number of activities that will be undertaken in the upcoming year. For example, in 2010 AORN will complete an Operating Room (OR) Laser Safety Fact Sheet based on AORN’s OR Laser Safety Best Practices document. AORN will add the Fact Sheet to the AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the AORN Web site. OSHA will then link to the document from the OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page, the Alliance Program Participants Developed Products Web page, and other appropriate locations on the Agency Web site.

In addition, AORN representatives will continue to provide their expertise to the Agency by serving on the editorial boards of fourteen OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages and the Agency Hospital eTool.

AORN and LIA representatives’ will provide the Medical Laser Safety Course on March 13-14, 2010 at the 57th 2010 AORN Annual Congress in Denver, Colorado. In addition, OSHA representatives will staff an Alliance Program exhibit booth and distribute OSHA compliance assistance materials and publications related to the health care industry.

Finally, the AORN will continue to promote OSHA compliance assistance materials and the OSHA and AORN Alliance through its Web site and including articles in its publication, Connections and Management Connections.